Page 12 - Lords of Madness: The Book of Aberrations

shadows, manipulating other creatures in the same way that seek to pervert the natural world to their own purposes. Per-
a chess master moves his pieces. Then, the would-be heroes haps deliberately, most aberrations dwell deep underground,
must fight their way through ranks of dupes, underlings, and where few druids contest their depredations.

mind-slaves, some of whom might not even realize that they
serve a master aberration. They must pierce layers of secrecy, UNHUMAN
lies, and false leads planted by a brilliant and patient antagonist. Creatures such as beholders or mind flayers are certainly evil

Then, finally, they must confront their unhuman foe in a time in the traditional sense—they are rapacious, greedy, self-serv-

and place of the aberration’s choosing, since the master aber- ing, ambitious, murderous, and utterly unscrupulous. They are
ration observes the heroes’ efforts against its underlings and not necessary malicious, however, since they do not commit
dispassionately determines the best way to exercise its own evil acts simply for the sake of doing evil. Instead, master ab-
terrible power to end the threat the heroes pose to its agenda, errations regard themselves as exempt from any lesser race’s

whatever that might be. notions of morality or decency. A mind flayer would argue that ABERRATION? CHAPTER 1
notions such as good and evil are sim- WHAT IS AN
INIMICAL TO ply relativistic, self-determined,
NATURE and ultimately pointless exer-
Aberrations have no rightful cises in justifying strength
place in the natural order of or weakness to oneself. If
things. They are interlop- you regard destroying
ers and invaders, creatures a sentient creature for
whose presence damages your own sustenance
the fragile chains of being as evil, then how is the
that define the natu- mind flayer to regard it-

ral world. A monster self as defined by your
such as a chuul is more ideas on the subject? It
than a large and voracious must eat to survive, after
predator, it is an affront to all, and surviving clearly
nature. Nothing in na- can’t be an “evil” end Illus. by M. Cotie
ture feeds on a chuul, when all things desire
and nothing in survival.
nature possess- Beyond the question
es the instincts of their amorality, mas-
or behavior to avoid ter aberrations regard
the monster. Its depreda- themselves as innately
tions, if allowed to continue superior to all other
unchecked, eventually de- beings. Their potent
populate a wide swath of territory, physical, magical,
destroying all normal fauna in its and psionic gifts
vicinity. clearly give them
Aberration civilizations are the power to behave
even more dangerous to the as they please to-
natural order. Master aberra- ward others who
tions such as aboleths or mind lack similar gifts. Why
flayers see no value in any kind of “natural adopt a set of ethical restrictions

A priestess of the Great Mother
state.” All things are theirs to manipulate or that would interfere with the exercise

defile as they deem appropriate. Worse yet, some aberrations of power in whatever fashion seems most useful and nec-
actively seek to corrupt or alter their environs to suit their tastes essary at the time? Aberrations have no “better nature,” no
and needs. Armed with ruthless intellects, powerful magic, good side, no sense of justice or propriety to which a captive
and absolute amorality, master aberrations see no reason not to might hope to appeal.
warp natural creatures into guardian monsters for their dens, The evil of a master aberration is clinical, detached, and
create magical plagues to drive off inconvenient neighbors, or brutally logical. Cold and unemotional creatures such as mind
spread foliage poisonous to all other creatures across a forest flayers or beholders see no value in the emotional arguments

to provide themselves with a “better” environment. or wishes of lesser creatures—and things without value are
As despoilers and corruptors of the natural world, aberra- not considered when action is required.
tions have earned the unending enmity of druids. Aberrations

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